Mechanics of Love and Relationship

This past week we had Mechanical practical where we had three days of theory classes and three days of rigorous practical. We learned simple but very essential and basics of what we will do as a maintenance personnel down the lane of our life. The week taught us how to make rigid and flexible hoses used in aircrafts, although not often used in today’s time where components come ready made from manufacturers, how to maintain and service bearings by means of lubrication, how to safety and lock with locking wires, about nuts, bolts, screws etc which looks plain, but plays very important role. I particularly liked the practical classes for there was so much to learn about doing yourself and getting hand skills. It isn’t just the end result at the end of day, the way you approach, tackle and accept all count.

Anyway the point is yesterday as I was studying for today’s theory exam which disappointed me as a matter of fact for the questions were so simple yet unexpected and very much particular, I had this very weird thoughts. In the middle of revision, I visited twitter to refresh my bogged mind where I found some people writing about love and relationships. That instantly made me link what we have been doing for past week and before and how technically it is same after all. I mean you see maintaining aircraft is almost same as maintaining a good and everlasting relationship if not more risky. Remember if you made mistake maintaining aircraft, you risk the life of hundreds of people onboard while you just risk a life or two in relationships?

Nurturing a good, happy and sustainable relationship isn’t that simple! I don’t know how much relations fail and success, but there sure is hell lot of struggles to make it work, make it last long; after all who starts a relationship with mere aim to destroy and break at the end of day? It needs a good understanding first as to how it functions best, what is not compatible and how do we go about to an everlasting and happily-ever-after kind of relation full of love that is secure and safe?. Well, we ought to maintain so to say! We ought to safety wire and secure it by being loyal, faithful and honest to each other and there are different ways of doing. Some aren’t right and some are just not strong enough to resist the external oscillations and vibrations of temptations. When the initial torque and the fitness of nut’s or bolt’s thread of the knot no longer resists the current of ills and change of circumstances and situations around; even a small cut or kink of suspicion is enough to destroy that bond, that safety and the ultimate result: “catastrophic disaster!” We ought to lubricate regularly with frank and fair communication, be true to yourself and reveal yourself, or the stress and strain of this fast changing world is so easy to drift and swayed away, until you have nothing but constant shouts and fights even over silly reasons. There isn’t best solution or so-called perfect kind of relationship, but to care and maintain is right in our palms and that all boils down to how we look at it and how we act ultimately.

As a practice, we removed the wheels of an aircraft (small training aircraft), removed all the bearings, cleaned and inspected for defeats and faults, re-lubricated and reinstalled which is simple as that, but the main problem is how we overlook and take for granted with these simple things that becomes the most painful at the butt. Things like being passionate about what you are doing and making a habit of thinking twice over something you have done, to check once again or things like that are some fine traits that needs practice and not all of us are good at it. Yes there are prescribed rules and procedures to be followed but eventually it is us an individual as a team that works. We may have silly constraints and hiccups on the way, but we ought to accept the fact and try rectify and move on. At the end we have to trust each other which is the main drive and be sure what you are doing, be certain and be honest otherwise we not only risk ourselves of an untoward accidents and incidents but also disheartening repercussions in times to come. In a way, everything in life is about a maintenance; we just we to know the basic mathematics and techniques of how to do, what to do and why do we do rather than complaining and meeting with abrupt end to our shelf life.

Still than those who are enjoying a healthy and smooth relationships, don’t be too proud for everything has got date of manufacture and service life but for those who are struggling to make it work, be optimistic for there are always redundancies and alternatives to mend and apply.

Take care Folks…..

Weird Thoughts over Conversation

Hi! Hope everyone is doing well. As with me, life has been quite busy recently. With exams every week from practical and theory to computer based ones and at times working whole night, it has been quite a thing you know. Now that the three weeks of gruesome episodes are over, I thought why I don’t visit my long deserted blog. So many things are happening around and so fast that sometimes it is difficult to keep pace with. Anyway firstly I would like to express my good will appreciation and applause to the recently evolved blogger’s conference and the blogger App. It is an awesome and handy app which I like and since then I haven’t missed even a post or an updates from fellow bloggers. This is something I like to be part of although neither am I a good blogger nor have I the talent to be one. But like I always say, just to be part of it by merely following the ones who are and being able to read, learn and get inspired is more than worth being yourself you know. This is the power of so-called expressions- a simple combination of words and sentences; it grills and affects us in a good way. So it’s a way to go and please continue to do so. Meanwhile I have also read the pdf version of the Blogger community’s constitution which is so concisely and beautifully written. Thanks Rekha for sharing.

Well, you see time flies so first; I mean just within short span of time, it is already five months which means I just have five more months before I reach back Bhutan. I am extremely happy and obliged that life is treating me fairly for now and everything going just fine, but as a matter of fact, I have already missed my country, friends and family. I sometimes wonder as to why we as a people generally always crave for something we don’t have and how once when those cravings are fulfilled vanishes easily like puff and another thing rises to become one.

Well, anyway one evening last week, we friends were just having a little talk over varied things at our place. We were joined by Brother Tashi and his wife who recently came over here for studies. They were over our place for dinner. We talked about being Bhutanese over here and how life differs, how people over here are different and how Bhutan and Bhutanese could learn so much. We didn’t have drinks like earlier days for classes are still in full swing. Just then, our landlord reached from the work and greeted us with her usual smile and ‘Hi’. She directly went to open the windows. The fact is that for some reasons, people over here just doesn’t like the smell of Bhutanese dishes. No matter what curry we prepare, it doesn’t just suit them. So next time you are at New Zealand or Australia or anywhere, I presume the matter will be same (just an information) just know this..:P

We were having all the fun we could over conversation, reminiscing the moments back in Bhutan and how life plays so uniquely to bring strangers together. It is amazing you know how this short life has so much to give us. And how every episode is planned and kept in place. Anyway yes we could learn so much, I mean right from the dignity of labor we talk about so much back in the country. Back in the country, most of us grow up with the mindset that we study so we can get a sustainable and secured job, that too a white collar one. I wonder why there is even so called white and black color. At here nobody bothers whether you do what you do and this is kind of mind we ought to inculcate in the young budding minds. We need to learn to accept that whatever we do, whether it is on the chair with glaring screen of computer in front or whether it is something to do with broom in rain or sun, it is but a work after all and we ought to respect, and embrace with love. That is called dignity of labor. In fact at here people who work at construction site has more dignity, they are paid more for they have more risks and safety is another that is not treated lightly. An electrician or plumber or any other skilled labor has to be certified, otherwise you are not allowed to do any repair or fittings even if you are expert. There is equal division of skills and labor perhaps that is why there is little or no unemployment problem. Any grand dreams are the piles of little things and perhaps this is what Bhutanese must learn. I wonder how many Bhutanese rush and are ready to do anything in other countries and NOT when back. There are two mentalities and I think we really need to change.

 Like we often converse amongst us friends: “When we are here, we are students and there is nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to be bothered about but back in Bhutan we are engineers and we ought to keep that standard” This is not only funny but wrong as well and sadly most of Bhutanese have this kind of mindset. Still make a note of it, it isn’t late..;)

 

One Night at Supermarket

Do you ever feel lucky? I mean life treats us mysteriously you know. No matter how much we say that life is what we make, I feel we are somehow controlled by some invisible thread which we fail to notice but mind you if we are wise enough and we happen to catch that very moment, we can’t do anything but to believe, appreciate and accept the fact that life is actually full of surprises. Life never fails to amuse us although unexpectedly, I may not have had the best times, but I also had not the worst, so life has been pretty fair so to say. I may not be born of to a well-off family, but life hasn’t been cruel either, I have had friends, the best of best on the rescue and I am very indebted to them. I have never forgotten the times when I have been lifted and rescued form some nasty and embarrassing moments for the only the incidents our memory can track of are either the worst or the best.

Anyway life has become pretty busy for me recently, we are going deeper into our course from the surface to the integral nitty-gritty parts which keeps us busy not just during days but night as well. But in between I wanted to share about an incident at a supermarket during one of my casual work. After vigorous work for about three hours, it was break time. I decided to buy a can of juice, a cup noodle and a packet of chips. I paid in cash but the beautiful lady at the counter was looking bit uneasy. I thought did I look that terrible not realizing that I was paying Bangladeshi rupee instead of Dollar. She blinked and said sorry to me. I did not believe her until I looked, my hand holding it. How stupid and embarrassing it was! Then I realized my stupidity; there was 20 note Bangladeshi rupee in my wallet which was given my brother and kept as a collection. Before I started my work, I decided to keep my wallet in the locker room and take 20 dollar cash instead just in case I needed. Instead of dollar, I put 20 rupee in my pant pocket and went to work. By the way, the currency notes are almost same in colour except in size. So there I was standing frozen in front of beautiful lady all blushed and trying hard to hide my embarrassment. When I was about to tell her that I will go bring my and then pay, another girl, a workmate came in for the rescue.

“I can pay for him” came the voice, the most wanted word at that moment and before I wasn’t even vanished of my red cheeky and hot ears, she paid, smiled and went on. I murmured thank you and sorry to the lady at counter, who reciprocated with an odd smile. I forced back smile and went upstairs (the rest room) to join crowds of workmates. The girl who rescued me was among them, my thankful eyes caught her glittering smile. Only if she could know how much grateful I was for saving me? I thanked her after the work and gave her the cash back, obviously she refused.

Although the so-called big things do matter in life, it is those little things that comes with genuinely with heart that has an impounding effect, thus my story. I treaded wondering what could have I done in the past?

The question of survival

Whenever I socialize and interact with friends in Facebook and other social Medias after usual exchange of hi and hellos, the conversations after telling them where I am right now usually turn into marking me as a ‘Dollar’ man, it is very funny you know. Some even asks me like how is dollar thing going on and how much dollar I am making as if I am here to make dollars. Well, first thing first, I am not here work and make dollars, I am here for training, to study sent by the company I work for. And my sole purpose and priority remains this: to complete the course successfully, go back and serve anyway I can. But as a matter of fact, because of ample time especially in weekends and during semester breaks, I have considered doing some casual and part time job suitable to this timings. Beside the course isn’t that tough for it is just level 3 course. And fortunately or fortunately I got in one of the super market as a casual Long life Assistant. I go to the work whenever the manager calls me, which is not just convenient but also a source to help me meet the expenses in this expensive country.

And considering the current situations, after hearing lot of hear says and emails, this searching and getting part time job has become some kind of necessity., because we just heard that our stipends from the company will be reduced by about one third of what we ought to get (which we were informed at the beginning) for the completion of course. The accounts division now says that in accordance with the finance ministry’s proposal, the people going on long term training to other countries are supposed to get as a monthly stipend and not on DSA basis irrespective of corporation or government agencies. We are already given almost two third of the revised amount and this leaves us in an awkward situation with the question of survival at here because the amount of stipend we brought along with us which is more than two third of the revised amount is almost already spent and we still have more than six months to stay and complete the course.

Any way the point is, it isn’t always as people see it form outside. Just because one live in dollar country doesn’t mean one get load of dollars just out of nowhere. It is that sweat you shed, the nights of peaceful sleep you sacrificed and the harsh climate any situations you battled.   I don’t know how much this part time job will compensate but we sure are in desperate situation; it is about survival here! I don’t know who is to blame, but had we been informed about the new changes and not given us these false hopes in the beginning before we were sent here, we could have had different story, we would have been wise to manage and adjust the living out here according to that. Five thousand USD is not a small amount! But again what can we do? It is water under the bridge and our only viable option is to try manage, survive and leave.

However, otherwise, the place is treating us pretty well and it is hell lot of learning, I wish to take maximum out of it. Happy weekends!

On Boring Break

Our life is most of the time a battle between the expectation and reality. Life isn’t a bed of roses, yet as human being, who gives up battling? Who doesn’t wish and try for that glory and beauty of sunshine? Every one of us have our own right to battle, to fight and we are so consumed by such battles that we don’t often realize even how the time fleets away. In reality we like to battle! When others around us fares well, we envy them and we feel bad. Thus we strive to equate, we dream big, we aim for perfection although the word perfection is often misconstrued. What kind of thing is perfect anyway? Why do we have to copy others? Why can’t we find solace in our self? The life really sucks sometimes, everything is driven by competition. Why can’t we live our own? We say one thing and does another. We live and built castles on virtual world of expectations, we are paranoid to notice until when realities set in, until we are back to the square one and the cycle just repeats. Yet life goes on…..

Anyway since 8^th July 13, 2015 it has been semester break for two weeks and you see there is yet again problem, I mean it is funny that we (I) don’t like either just the indefinite breaks without anything to do than to eat, sleep and stay glued with your computer, it is boring. I don’t situation is ideal? I have tried hard to bring back the interest in reading and finally today I am done with “The Ravine” by Robert Pascuzzi which is a good read about the evil, love, hope, forgiveness and the afterlife. It is a book full of inspirational sentences. It is a good antidote for stressed and depressed mind. Well, I ain’t a good reviewer, I leave it all for you to decide, but definitely I would recommend to read. Although it is most of it is to do with Jesus (the god), I feel the essence, and the message it conveys through a very captivating story is just applicable to whether one is Christian or not. Just read to know it for yourself.

My next book is “Three Marriages” by George Loukas. I don’t know how it is but this is yet another time pass for this cold winter semester break. What are you reading?

Happy days…….

Name and Fashion

Source: Google

We all have our favorite name which we like others to call us. If we go back and see, we notice that most of the names of our parents and grandparents are situation or date based. If you are born on 10 day of Bhutanese calendar, you are Tshechu something or Chenga something or Namang something if born on 15th or 30th respectively. I have a friend who was born on blessed rainy day and is called Babjey. There are others who are called out of love by their parents which seem to have become like something to make fun of. Are these not interesting? I mean at least we have reasons behind. My name was my great grandfather’s and i was named to remember him. This is yet another popular culture where Bhutanese parents wants their children to be named with by the names of their forefathers.

Bhutanese parents usually take their new born to a local Lama or Rinpoche to get names. But lately have you notice that the naming of new born are becoming a fashion to most Bhutanese parents. It is amazing that a fashion has this much affect. Every parents wants their child to be name with first, middle and last names. Why it has to be Karma Sonam Dema or something like that? I don’t know (I ain’t dad yet..lol) Did you know of our parents and before them who had more than two names? Well, very rarely as far as I know of and that too for some special reasons, but it’s like a new trend now. Bhutanese parents just doesn’t seem to be complete if their child is not named with first, middle and last name. I have a friend who recently had a child, a daughter and was named with three names because every parents have their child with three names and so was theirs. He said that in future when all are friends are called with long names she might feel bad and blame them. That may be true because even a small thing seem to matter. Our children are clever and smart. The system and society they grow up in makes them prudent and something like this would really matter.

This is something very new, some kind of transition happening to Bhutanese people if not really a trending fashion. Can anyone in census registration division find out the pattern of names our children are registered with? This is just out of curiosity and I am certain there will be a proof in there, I however like to call it a Fashion…:P

The Dollar Thing

The pasture on the other side is not always greener as a matter of fact. Often we are deceived by our own intuition that we are worse ourselves and others better, we are deceived by the notion that life abroad (particularly Australia) is always better, always lucrative and easy while the reality isn’t. The physical appearances that we often see on the social Medias like Facebook is just a show, a show that displays behind that broad smile and fancy dresses or delicious foods on table is an equal amount of pain, hardship and struggle. The dollar thing has become the word which I think is used too superficially. The Kuensel’s story about 20 Bhutanese being robbed and cheated says it all but not even a part of real story because the story doesn’t end after you reach there or after you get visa, it is just the beginning.

The unfortunate and pity story shows how we Bhutanese are easily influenced and easily driven by dollar thing and some good lip service. It shows how we become victim and are easily defeated by that temptation of wanting more and getting more. 90 percent of Bhutanese wouldn’t deny their wanting to join this bandwagon if opportunity knocks their door. After all who wants to get rot on the same chair and receive the same amount of meagre salary at the end of month when everything that really matters in modern world is money, comfort and wealth? But the sad thing is that the realities are different.

I study in New Zealand and considering the fact that Australia and New Zealand is almost same in all sense, I don't see and feel that life there (or here) is a blessing at all. Of course there are Bhutanese whom I know, living kingly life here. Their jobs are secured and honorable and so is their life. But that is exception and not the point. I have heard from reliable sources that in Australia there are too many Bhutanese that often there are cases like thefts, fights and commotions among themselves. It is a shame, which only indicate a strong wave of desperation. Even to get a cleaning job (which is perhaps the only option for most) is not easy, we ought to submit curriculum vitae, go through all the screening process and test. So if you are thinking about all these I say consider thinking twice. It is a different story about those studying on scholarships, otherwise I say back off.